The NFL offseason is officially underway, and with Super Bowl 60 in the rearview - a game that saw the Seattle Seahawks dominate the New England Patriots 29-13 behind a statement performance from Kenneth Walker and a defense that looked downright suffocating - all 32 teams now turn their attention to 2026.
And with that shift comes the first wave of offseason power rankings. ESPN dropped theirs shortly after the confetti fell in Vegas, putting the newly crowned champion Seahawks right where you'd expect: No.
- But for fans of the San Francisco 49ers, the more pressing question is where their team landed - and what comes next.
49ers Land at No. 6, But Bigger Questions Loom
Despite falling to Seattle in the divisional round - a loss that underscored just how wide the gap currently is between the two NFC West rivals - the 49ers still earned the No. 6 spot in ESPN’s early rankings. That’s a respectable finish for a team that battled through a rash of injuries, a roster reset, and a cost-cutting offseason to still win 12 games and knock off the Philadelphia Eagles on the road in the Wild Card round.
But as ESPN rightly pointed out, the ranking isn’t the headline. It’s the three words they attached to the 49ers’ offseason focus that carry the most weight: “The next nucleus.”
That’s the challenge now facing GM John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan. The team’s current core - the one that’s helped keep San Francisco in the mix for the better part of the last five years - is aging, and the next wave of foundational players needs to be identified and developed.
The Old Guard Is Aging Out
Let’s start with the obvious. Trent Williams, one of the best left tackles of his generation, will be 38 by the time the 2026 season kicks off.
Christian McCaffrey, still an elite weapon, turns 30 - a milestone that often signals the beginning of the end for running backs, especially ones who’ve logged as many hard-earned touches as he has. George Kittle is now also on the wrong side of 30, and while he remains one of the league’s most complete tight ends, the physical toll of his play style can’t be ignored.
That trio has been central to San Francisco’s identity - tough, dynamic, and relentlessly competitive. But the clock is ticking.
Who’s Part of the Next Core?
According to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, only quarterback Brock Purdy and cornerback Deommodore Lenoir have solidified themselves as part of the next foundational group. That’s a short list for a team with championship aspirations, and it puts pressure on the front office to start building the next generation of stars - fast.
The pass rush and wide receiver rooms, in particular, stand out as areas in need of attention. The 49ers have long been built around a ferocious defensive front, but that group needs reinforcements. Meanwhile, outside of Brandon Aiyuk - whose long-term future in San Francisco remains uncertain - the receiving corps lacks young, high-ceiling talent ready to take the reins.
The NFC West Isn’t Waiting
The Seahawks just won it all. The Rams, behind a resurgent offense and a retooled defense, aren’t going anywhere.
Even the Cardinals showed flashes of life last season. The point is clear: the NFC West is only getting tougher, and the 49ers can’t afford to sit still.
That means hitting on draft picks. That means being aggressive in free agency. That means identifying the next Fred Warner, the next Nick Bosa, the next Deebo Samuel - and doing it now, not two years from now.
Because while the 49ers are still a top-tier team on paper, the window won’t stay open forever. And if Lynch and Shanahan want to keep it propped up, they’ll need to start building the next nucleus - one that can carry this franchise into the next era of contention.